Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-08-17

him to save himself from financial wreck
and ruin, and that was 10 go back to his
office, to open up the shutters and nail on the
door tine sign:
Roscoe CoSKIINe,
Attorney at Law.
"'I felt said he, that by pursuing this
course could escape a vast deal of political
annoyance, and might be better able to rem
der substantial aid to my friends. When you
say / committed blunder you only drop
into that common misjudgment that springs
from the want of knowledge as to all tho
facts bearing upon the subject
II have not" concluded Judge Belford,
''seen Conkling from that time to this
-.
"Did you ever have any talk with Presi
dent Garfield after Conklings resignationr'
"No; not upon the Conkling matter, though
I frequently talked with him on many other
subjects. One thing I do know, however,
and that is that had not Garfield been shot
just when he was the trouble between him
and Conkling would have been satisfactorily
arranged. know of conversation he had
in reference to the matter with a distin-
gushed member of congress from Indiana, o
very intimate friend of mine, wherein Gar
field leaned his head upon the shoulder Of
this member Of congress and wept like child
over the affair. He gave him his positive as
surance that inside of ten days he was going
to nominate Robertson to All important posi-
ton abroad and give the control Of the New
York patronage to Conkling.'
"But Guiteau's bullet stopped all this
Much as loved and respected Gen. Garfield.
I have never wavered for an instant in my
conviction that he did Senator Conkling a
great wrong and that Garfield afterward re-
GREETED it. And have no hesitation in saw
ing that when all the facts appertaining to
that unhappy quarrel are laid before the pub
lie, they will applaud the course Of Senator
Conklng instead of condemning it. To my
know ledge, Conkling's position throughout
the entire transaction was manly, dignified
and patriotic one. He had no objection to
Mr. Blaine as secretary Of state. But when
Morton was refused the treasury and put off
with the navy department. and when the in
tention Of putting out Merritt in the middle
of his term as collector and Of putting Conk-
| ling's most determined enemy in the state
| Robertson, in his place, anybody could sec
that the struggle was inevitable. But Gar
field is dead, Conklng is out of public life
the Republican party is out of power, and
Blaine is hobnobbing with the aristocracy in
| England An administration whose founda
ton was laid in treachery could not have
succeeded. Perhaps it is well for Garfield.
fame that the true inwardness of the making
up of his early cabinet is not known to til,
public"
Judge Belford, in conclusion, told me tina
he did not look upon Conklmg as by any
means politically dead. "He is only sleep
ing" said he, "and if great issues again com,
before the country. if the parties drop plati
tudes, throw off their hypocrisy, and make
fight "oon principles that are worth fighting
for, he may come to the front. If he does
mark my words he will receive such al
ovation as the politicians, not approaching
his popularity with the people, cannot nov
conceive" FRANK g. CARPENTER